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Commission to vote on awarding CVB designation to business group

Published on Mon, 04/13/2020 - 4:51pm

By

Sam Klomhaus — Enterprise Staff Writer

Monday, April 13, 2020

The Livingston City Commission is scheduled to vote Tuesday via Zoom on a resolution that would award the Convention and Visitors Bureau designation to the Livingston Business Improvement District.

365体育网址The Livingston Area Chamber of Commerce is Livingston’s current CVB designee, and has held the title since 2015.

365体育网址A CVB is an organization chosen by the City Commission to receive money through the Lodging Facility Use Tax and use that money for marketing and to attract visitors. Only one nonprofit within each tourism region or eligible area can be approved to receive those funds, according to the state of Montana.

365体育网址The chamber and the LBID were the only two organizations that submitted bids.

365体育网址Chamber CEO Leslie Feigel said she was incredibly disappointed by the resolution, and encouraged people to write to the City Commission asking them to vote it down.

Feigel said she feels the chamber is doing a good job as the CVB designee, and is being pushed out by people who want to control everything in the city.

“They want their own sandbox and their own damn toys,” Feigel said.

Feigel questioned the timing of the vote, saying it should be put off because of the coronavirus pandemic.

“It’s not right to do while the world’s in a crisis,” Feigel said.

365体育网址LBID Board Chairwoman Kristen Galbraith said she hadn’t heard anything from the city since the LBID submitted its proposal.

365体育网址City Manager Michael Kardoes put out a request for proposals for the CVB in January, but the chamber received an injunction temporarily halting the bidding process.

District Court Judge Brenda Gilbert ruled March 17 that the city may go through with the bidding process, and that the chamber, as the current CVB designee, should get a chance to bid.

365体育网址According to the City Commission’s information packet for Tuesday’s meeting, all five members of the CVB selection committee recommended the LBID.

According to the resolution, the committee was made up of “select members of the business community.”

The commission is also scheduled to vote on an ordinance designating the Green Acres subdivision a medium-density residential zone.

Public comment will be accepted at the meeting, which will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday and can be attended by going to .

The meeting ID is 608623473 and the password is 010052.

365体育网址Residents can also call in to the meeting by dialing (669) 900-6833.